[Drama CD Review] UbuKare -Igarashi Taiki Hen-

UbuKare is a pure fluff CD from Team Entertainment. UbuKare tells you a story about the young man named Igarashi Taiki (CV: Shimono Hiro), who has just entered college. Taiki is a late bloomer, so he never had a girlfriend before. Now that he’s in college, he wants to get himself a nice and cute girlfriend. You can find voice samples and even a promotion video for this CD release on the official website [click]!

The review/translation will refer to the heroine as Natsumi (totally random chosen name), because I don’t really feel like self-inserting myself into this CD… I feel like I’m observing a love story told by Taiki, than being the girl he falls for, so yeah… I’m deeply apologizing to all of my self-inserting Mary Sue fans here. m(__)m

Track 1: The first meeting
To make his wish to get a girlfriend soon come true, Taiki attends a goukon (group date). It’s his first goukon, his first time drinking alcohol and his first time meeting girls. I assume he either attended all-boys schools before he entered college or he meant that it was the first time meeting up with girls in a group, because he didn’t have female friends? ^^ There he introduces himself in a very cheerful manner and tries hard to seem cool, saying that he’s gradually coming used to alcohol, as he drunk a lot lately. WHAT A BIG FAT LIE ლ(́◉◞౪◟◉‵ლ) You just told us that it’s your first time drinking. LOL Then Taiki notices Natsumi and goes to talk to her. After introducing themselves to each other, Taiki asks why she would come to an drinking goukon, if she doesn’t like alcohol. Seeing how she was kind of forced by her friends, he tells her that his friends from high school invited him over. Then Taiki asks for Natsumi’s mail address and she gladly exchanges hers with him, making Taiki so happy that he’s literally fanboying in his mind. xD “YES! Mail address GET! This is the first time I exchanged mails with a girl. Hopefully we’ll get along fine!” Can you not be that adorable Taiki? (●´□`)♡

Track 2: The first date
One week after the goukon Taiki and Natsumi are having a date. Sadly looser Taiki only got Natsumi’s contact data, but he’s totally fine with that. Since it’s his first date he stands in front of his wardrobe wondering what he should wear. In the end, he runs out of time and runs off to the stairs. But before leaving the house, he tells his mother to NOT enter his room, no matter what, because it’s really messy. 😀 When he arrives at the meeting spot, he’s a bit too early, so to dawdle away time he decides to go into a conbini (convinience store) near by. So after 5 minutes he leaves the conbini store and gets to the meeting place again, where Natsumi is already waiting for him. He actually didn’t wanted to look desperate by coming too early, so he says that he just arrived. Unfortunately Natsumi saw him in the conbini. xDDD Boy, this guy has bad luck yo. Too hide his embarrassment, he suggest them to go shopping together.

I don’t know why, but the date turned out to be a shopping tour with Natsumi. LOL Taiki gets really into it, when she chooses a really cute dress (or whatever she picks up) and spouts embarrassing lines like “Wow, that’s really cute! I’m sure it will totally suit you!” and even recommends her clothes. He’s so embarrassing, that I feel for the heroine. /////////// xDDD The last thing he chooses is a piece with dolman sleeves. Seeing how embarrassing he can be (or is it because dolman sleeves are not popular in Japan? I have no idea. Anyone?), Natsumi’s mood goes down and she tells him that she wants to do something else.

Stupid virgin Taiki doesn’t get it and thinks she’s hungry. LMAO He suggests to eat lunch in a cafe near by saying that his friends recommended it to him, but in fact he looked up some cafes. Natsumi tells him that this cafe doesn’t offer dishes with rice though. When Taiki suggests the pasta restaurant there, she makes a unsatisfied face, but still eats pasta with him. After lunch they walked around in town and when they split up, Taiki asks if Natsumi had fun, because he enjoyed today’s date. He asks her if she’d like to meet up with him again, promising, he’ll research for really good Italian and French restaurant next time. With that, they say their goodbyes and go home. On his way home, he wonders if his first date was a success after all. NOPE. It was not. But hey, you tried Taiki… ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡Track 3: The first room visit
Before going out with Natsumi, he checks if his outfit is not lame. He wonders if he can do better than last time. When they meet up, he asks her, what they should do today. Taiki, you NOOB, why did you show up without any plans??? Natsumi suggests watching a film, but since they don’t know what kind of films are airing right now (you could have checked the cinemas. LOL), Natsumi invites him to her house or to be specific her room. This invitation makes Taiki going: “OMFG. IS THAT REALLY REAAAAAAAALLY OKAY????!!!” And gets super nervous. Bwahahahaha. Hilarious reaction. Pffft~! (*≧▽≦)ﾉｼ)) And mumbles: “A boy visiting a girl’s room…. Is that….???!” Seeing how Taiki acts weird, Natsumi asks if he doesn’t want to, but Taiki just blurts out “No! That’s not it! Of course I want to see your room!” even though he’s like: “HOLY SHIT. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME VISITING A GIRL. (((╹д╹;)))”

In her room, he thinks that the room really fits Natsumi’s image. It’s cute and girly. After sitting down on a cushion, it gets really awkward, because Taiki is at a loss for words. His tension is not helping either. Then he gets a great idea to open a door next to him thinking that he’d find another room, but it turns out that her bed is in there. LOL And there’s underwear on the bed. HER UNDERWEAR. OMG. I’M DYING. x’DD You did it, Taiki.(˵¯̴͒ꇴ¯̴͒˵) He closes the door immediately and apologizes for being the worst man in history. Then he apologizes again and decides to go home, feeling like the worst jerk in the world. “Even though it was the first time visiting a girl’s room… WHAT THE HECK WAS I DOING???!!!”

Track 4: The first (?) fiasco
In university. The classes had just ended. Taiki apologizes for his behaviour on the last date again, saying that it was rude of him to go home so suddenly. Then he asks her if she wants to go drinking with him. Natsumi asks if it’s okay to drink alcohol, but Taiki just says it’s okay and that he loves alcohol. BLEH, YOU DRUNKARD… Stay away from my precious Natsumi!!!! ಠ_ಠ In the bar, Natsumi orders a Gin Tonic. Taiki thought she would drink a cocktail though. Even though he says that he doesn’t like beer, he “loves” alcohol. Love alcohol my ass, you sure you’re not trying to impose Lady Natsumi, son? He then orders “Castres Orange” (I’m not sure if I got this right…) for himself, a cocktail, that is so sweet, you won’t notice the alcohol in it. So you can actually drink a lot of it and end up passed out drunk before you can even realize it. Stupid as he is, Taiki drinks his cocktails like water and gets some more drinks with alcohol. I think you know how this ends. Yep, in the end, Taiki is so drunk, that Natsumi has to call him a taxi and help him get onto it. He didn’t even pay for the drinks… YOU FAILED AS A GUY, SON. I’M SO DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, TAIKI. (╯°Д°）╯︵/(.□ . \) He apologizes for drinking too much and showing her such a miserable sight. She could have just dumped him, but she is so nice to him, that he almost cries.

Track 5: The first….. doubt
It’s lunch break. Taiki apologizes for his drunkard state yesterday. He arrived at home safely though. Before he invited her to eat lunch with everyone, he pays for his drinks, that she had paid yesterday. When they arrive in the cafeteria, their friends are already talking about Christmas! When they ask Taiki if he has anything planned he says that he doesn’t have yet. “Actually… I don’t have any plans, but saying that I’m free sounds so sad and pitiable.” LMAO, TAIKI. “But it would be nice, if I could arrange something. Though, that might be impossible….” In the end Taiki gathers his courage and ask Natsumi if she already has plans. Upon hearing that she doesn’t have plans yet too, he gets EXCITED and goes “YEAHHHHHHHH!!!!! …………………. But is it okay to ask her out??!!”. Haha. That was adorbs. wwww When he tried to ask her out, all that he could say was “Seems like we both don’t have plans yet, eh?!” while facepalming in his head. WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SON. GROW BALLS AND ASK HER OUT, DAMMIT. ((*゜Д゜)ゞ” Natsumi tells him, that she doesn’t have plans yet, but she’s not sure if she’ll get an appointment, so she can’t say for sure if she’s free or not. Being aware that Natsumi could wait for her boyfriend’s invitation, he asks her to contact him, if she happens to be free on Christmas.

Track 6: The first time showing courage
It’s Christmas soon. The finals were over and holidays just started. Right now the group dating members from before are meeting each other in an amusement park. He’s happy that Natsumi had time to come, but he actually wanted to be alone with her. And then he needs to ask her about her Christmas plans. Will she go on a date with him? When he tries to lure her into some rides, she turns him down for various reasons. But then she asks him to ride the roller coaster with her. Alone. Taiki actually can’t stand riding them, but for his love he’s willing to sacrifice a short timespan of his life as if it’s nothing. In the end he screamed the whole time and ended up being a walking corpse after the ride was over. Though he still manages to ask her out on Christmas.

Track 7: The first birthday together
The promise to go out on Christmas was set, but now Taiki just got told that Natsumi’s birthday is on the following weekend! So to get on her good side, he searches for a fitting birthday present.
On the day of her birthday. When Taiki calls her and ask her if she’s free, she tells him she’s not. She’s eating out with her family. But she might be free in the evening. So Taiki tells her that he will come and get her then. When he gets her, he brings her to the sea side. It’s freezing though, as it’s winter. LOL TAIKI. I don’t have words left for you son…. You’re such a stupid virgin. xD Since it’s her birthday, he wanted to bring her to the sea side, but it’s really cold and dark and he doesn’t even has plans as it was really spontaneously. He apologizes for this fail birthday surprise though. But… That’s not all, he actually bought her a necklace for a present, thinking that it will suit her, but he wonders if it would have been better if he’d got her a scarf, since it’s really cold. Despite feeling a bit conflicted, he puts it on her. It’s really cold after all, so they decide to go back. To warm her up, Taiki suggests to hold hands while walking to the trains station.

Track 8: The first quarrel
After the birthday event, things are looking good. Taiki and Natsumi are drinking tea with each other. Irritated Taiki asks Natsumi who the guy, she was talking with before, was. “A friend.” “Ah. Is that so… So you don’t think about how it might look like, when you are with other guys? You might have a lot male friends, but I don’t have any other girlfriends than you. Seeing to talk to other guys make me really irritated.” Wow. What are you trying to say Taiki?! Hearing this, Natsumi makes a hurt face. “Why are you making that face? I’m the one that…. Wait….. You’re cr-crying….??” You’ve done it Taiki, you’ve done it. You made her cry. Shame on you! ಠ_ಠ Feeling hurt Natsumi runs out of the store while crying, leaving a dumbfounded and guilty Taiki back.

Track 9: The first anguishAfter that cafe incident, he couldn’t contact her and since it’s currently winter break the chances of meeting her are pretty much 0 %. He feels really bad about what he said to her the last time he saw her and wants to apologize, but doesn’t know how to contact her. He wonders if Natsumi hates him for being so unsensible. Will his feelings get returned by Natsumi after all?

Track 10: ♡-The first reconciliation…♡
Christmas is just around the corner and Taiki still hasn’t managed to contact Natsumi. Instead of just writing her a mail, he wants to talk to her properly so he goes to her house to apologize and confess to her. When he rings the bell, Natsumi is answering the door. “Sorry for coming without a notice… But I have something important to tell you… Can I come in?” Hearing that, Natsumi couldn’t say no and let him in. When he sees her, Taiki apologizes for the last time they saw each other and then apologized for causing her a lot of trouble before that too. He confesses, that he wasn’t always honest to her as well.

“To be honest… I’m actually really bad at dealing with girls. Due to my inexperience with girls I don’t have any female friends. Also, my tolerance for alcohol is pretty much non-existant. When I had the chance to go out with you, I was really happy. But since I had no experience before, I caused you a lot of trouble. When I think back, I gave you hard times, didn’t I…? You should know, I really didn’t mean to deceive you in any way! I just wanted to look cool in front of you, but… I guess I was trying too hard and evoked the reversed effect. In the end I even got mad at you and said horrible things to you. I’m really sorry! When I saw you talking and joking with other boys so naturally I became jealous. I felt left out.” Since it already came to this, Taiki thought that it might be good to confess his love for Natsumi too. “Uhm… This is the first time I doing this, so I might be really uncool, but I think you already noticed it. I’m…. in love with you……. Ah! I said it! I’m sorry, saying this out of the blue is troubling you, right?! That’s why I wanted to meet up with you on Christmas if you don’t have any plans, but seems like it’s impossible now… Haha……………… I’m sorry, I’ll leave now. Sorry for coming over so sudden! AWWWWWWW. TAIKI… My son grew up!!! I’m so proud of you!!! See?! Being honest suits you so much better!!! You should listen to his voice here, he’s so CUTE!!!（人´∀`*）

Before he can leave Natsumi calls out his name telling him, that she likes him too and wants to meet up on Christmas, which makes Taiki go “Ehhhhh??!! It’s that really okay??!! Because it’s ME????!!!!” (だって俺だよ???!!!), because he couldn’t believe that Natsumi would like to go out with a loser like him. Pffffft. His reaction was GOLD. Taiki gets totally emotional and is so happy, that he has to hold his tears in. He’s so happy, that he begins hugging Natsumi unconciously, but parting from that hug soon while apologizing. Then he wonders if it’s okay to kiss her. LMAO TAIKI!!!! But since it’s too much stimulation for him, he just blurts out that it’s probably a bit to early to kiss, while laughing nervously. Doing nothing would be boring though, so he gives her a kiss on the cheek, after she gives him her consent. OMG. THAT LAST PART KILLED ME WITH MOE-NESS!!! ///////////////

Track 11: The first Christmas together
24. December. Christmas Eve. The first Christmas together. Taiki was thinking about treating Natsumi in a high class restaurant, where they can drink Champagne as well, but on a second thought… That doesn’t suit them. So in the end, they bought a lot of juice and a small bottle of Champagne and went to Natsumi’s house. Doing a normal house date is more suited for university students like them. In Natsumi’s room, she gives him a Christmas present. And it turns out to be a charm bracelet!! Taiki is so happy, blurting out, that he will use it forever. Of course Taiki has a present for Natsumi too. A cute muffler! After he gave her the muffler and even wrapped her up in it (in an innocent way, guys!! In an INNOCENT WAY!) he asks her if it’s okay to kiss her today. Last time he screwed up, but he even practised kissing and if it’s still no good, he hopes that Natsumi will forgive him. Because it’s his first time kissing a girl. Wait. How do you practise kissing anyway? With your pillow?? xDDDD With that he kisses Natsumi gently on the lips. After that kiss Natsumi is so happy embarrassed, that she hugs him tightly causing him to get totally flustered. “W-wait…!! W-what… are you doing? I’m really nervous right now, so if you suddenly hug me like this I don’t know what to do…..!! Hey..! Please let go! It’s dangerous! We’re alone right!? I won’t be able to stop myself!” “Huh!? I was talking about kissing you of course, what else could I do to you…?!” *kiss* “It’s our first time (kissing) after all. So we should take our time. But you’re so cute, that I don’t know what to do… Ah… I’m so uncool….” “Don’t look at me with those eyes… I don’t know what I will do if you keep looking like that…” *kiss* （＿´ω｀）AJUUUUUUUU. VIRGIN INNOCENT KIDS!!!!wwww

Bonus Track: Our firsts
It’s been 3 months since Taiki and Natsumi started dating. Christmas, Hatsumode (New Year Shrine Visit) and Valentine’s Day. They spent a lot of couple events together. Even Taiki’s self-confidence leveled up a little bit during that 3 months. But today Taiki is facing a really difficult challenge…!

“Eh?! Romantic lines? There’s no way I will say them! It’s embarrassing!!!” Natsumi suggest him to write them down then, she will read it out loud for him, but Taiki refuses. As Taiki refuses Natsumi makes a really sad and pitiful face, so he agrees to say a few of lines of sweet nothings to her. “*sigh* But don’t laugh, okay?!” Taiki says “I like you” (好き。) with a really small voice, but Natsumi didn’t hear it and asks him to say it again. He gets flustered and says that it’s her own fault for not listening to him. LOLOLOL In the end he gives in to nagging Natsumi and screams it again. “”I like you!!!” (好き!!!!) Now you can’t say that you didn’t hear it!” “Next is…. I…. l….lo…. love you…” At those words come out as mumbling. “Argh!!! WHY DO I HAVE TO DO THIS??!! This is the LAST, are we clear?!! This is incredibly embarrassing!!!!” After preparing his heart Taiki then said: “I lo-….. I…. I-I lov…. Argh!!! I’M NOT GONNA SAY IT!!!” But seeing how Natsumi looks like she’s crying he tells her: “I love you so much, that I want to eat you.” After finishing this sentence he gets so embarrassed, that he screams like a girl. “I don’t wanna anymore!!!!” In the end he calls Natsumi “stupid.”. LOLOLOLOLOL BEST TRACK OF THE WHOLE CD. PFFFFFFT♡

Thoughts:
Wow… This CD review is almost a translation. xDDD And I’m so sorry, that it took me like half a year to type this. orz I was busy and then lazyness overcame me. orz orz

I think… Taiki is like a shoujo heroine protagonist? LOL He screams like a girl and he’s a DAMN virgin dork. I laughed so much, while I listened to this CD and it’s really cute. It’s one of those CDs that makes your heart go dokidoki, though I think I laughed more than I felt dokidoki. LOL I mean…. Taiki is ADORBS. And he became my son while I was typing this review/translation. He tries to be cool, but then realizes, that just pretending to be cool is actually not cool AT ALL. LOL It’s actually interesting to see the story from his viewpoint! Though I really wished they had casted a heroine too, because yeah… I felt it would have been better with a active heroine. ^^

Shimono Hiro… Thank you for voicing Taiki! Your Taiki was a real dork, who was just an innocent stupid virgin boy, who changed into a full-flegded boyfriend. www I wonder about the “full-flegded” though. LOL

Team Entertainment already promised us another volume with Matsuoka Yoshitsugu as Igarashi Yuuki. I’m assuming, that Yuuki is Taiki’s younger brother? xDDD Because they have the same surname. But I guess they are not related… They don’t look similiar. Igarashi Yuuki is in your kouhai in high school and a fellow member of the theater club, were you, the heroine, is acting. When he first saw your performance with some of his friends, he decided to join the club as well as he was amazed by your acting skills. Being a boy in his teens, he gets overly concious about your concern for him and slowly falls in love with you… Release date is the 23rd July 2014. The voice samples are up as well and hahahaha we get a continuation of a boy, who acts like a shoujo manga heroine in love. Pfffffft. So adorable!!! (*´∀｀*人*´∀｀*)

dan Haru, This is….. ridiculous, my side hurt and it’s your fault, he is an absolutly adorable dork and I laugh my heart out, the cool thing that Taiki did having a reverse effect is funny. Additionally, the last track is GOLD as you told me and i cant express enough. Ima kill Haru since you drag me into your log for Ubu Kare ( I listen to the 2nd CD sample track and it was…….. *can’t breath again*)

IKR. When I first heard the voice samples, I was so hyped by the adorbsness of Taiki, that I pre-ordered the CD immediately. LOLOLOL
I think you cannot kill me, as I’m already an Drama CD and otoge zombie since 2 years. xDDD

Oh, this is a Shimono Hiro drama CD?? Got to listen to this becuase he’s one pf my biases! xD The story looks cute too; I’m actually pretty weak to stories like this ^^=. But more than that… another cute character voiced by Hirotan!! xD

Yay! I’ve been waiting for this review. While I (sadly) haven’t listened to it yet, I read some bits and pieces and your final thoughts. I better get on top of this; it sounds so damn cute! I’m sure Shimono-san is perfect for this role! I can already imagine what he sounds like. 😀